Improvement in sewing-machine



UNiTE-'D STATES Patnlv'r Oie-Fien RALPH LAWYER AND JOHN G. GASTEN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 101,140. dated March 22, 1870.

To all whom fit may concern:

l Be it known that we, RALPH LAWYER and JOHN C. GASTEN, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny, and in the State of Pennsylva- I l nia, have invented a new and useful Improve- Vment in Sewing-Machines; and we do hereby declare that the following` is a full, clear, and yexact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to sewing-machines; and consists in certain improvements thereon, which will be more particularly specified hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved machine. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is Ia sectional elevation of one of the adjusting-screws, and Fig. .1S-is a horizontal section of the said machine. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is theA main drivin g-shaft A1, the cam thereon for lifting the feed-shoe, and A2 the cam for impart-ing the forward movement toit. A3 is the feed-shoe, and A4 the vibrating and sliding bar to which it is attached. This bar projects at the rear end through the bracket A5, as shown in d'otted lines, for a support, and a set-screw, A5, is tapped through the under part of the bracket, against the tenon of the bar, for raising it higher or lowering it to vary the height of thefeed-shoe. Inside the bracket A5 this bar is provided with a slotted plate, A, attached to it by a set-screw, A, and abutting against the said bracket, to control the longitudinal movement ofthe feed-shoe by arresting the backward movement of the bar, sooner or later, according to its position on the plate. The said back movement of the bar is effected by spring A9, connected to it and to l the screw A6, or any other suitable support. Thisspriug also serves to hold the bar down on the screw to prevent rattling or noise. The other end of the said bar A4 is bent downward, and rests on the lifting-cam A1, and receives the lip-and-down movementfor raising and lowering the feed-shoe.

A10 is an arm pivoted to the frame or bed at I the under side, and projecting down in front of the feeding-cam A2, so as to be vibrated by it. It is connected to the feed-bar A4 by a connecting-bar, A11, pivoted to it, and engaging, by a slotted connect-ion, the screw or pin A12 in the bar A4.

A13 is a set-screw in the end of the bar A11, provided with a wood pin, a, in the en'd, Fig. 3, to prevent noise, and screwing against the shank of the screw A12, and arranged forlengthening or shortening the connection between the bars A4 and A10, for lengthening or shortenin g the stitch. This latter bar is connected, by a spiral spring, A4, with a stud-pin on the frame or table, which keeps it constantly bearing against the face of the cam A2 and prevents noise in running.

These arrangements are considered to be very simple and cheap in construction, and admit of readily adjusting the feed as to height andlength of throw, and the parts work smoothly and with but little or no noise.

The end of the feed-bar works in a slot in the vibrating arm A1", to prevent side vibration.

The shuttle-carrier B is mounted on the top of a long arm, B, mounted on an oscillating support, B2, suspended in arms B3, projecting downward from the under side of the table, and swings thereon, moving the said carrier through the arc of a circle. This arm B1 is worked by a connecting-rod, B4, pivoted toit, and connected to a crank on the shaft A. The said rod B4 is attached to the arm B1 considerably below the upper end,and thereby produces the necessary movement of the shuttlecarrier without requiring the crank to be as long as would be required if the rod was connected to the carrier or to the top of the said arm B1, which we find works lnuch better than the latter arrangement.

We propose to apply this mode of driving the carrier, when arranged in a race to work in a straight line, by arranging a suitable connection of the arm B1 with the carrier to admit of it.

The carrier is provided with the arms B5, for taking into recesses in the ends of the shuttle', in the usual way for holding it; and, in addition to these, we provide the carrier with a hinged plate, B6, upon the top, and having a curved projection rising up around the side of the shuttle, to prevent it from rising up when working. This plate is so adjusted that it does not bear snugly on the shuttle, but allows space enough for the thread to pass freely. Itis aA j 101.140

held down by a spiral spring, B", connected to bearing against the under side of a shoulder of they head C2. To impart a risingand-talling motion to this presser for raising it to turn the cloth, we have provided, in connection with the grooved cam wheel or disk D, by which the needle-arm is Worked, or it may be any other suitable cam, a lever, DI, journaled on a stud, D2, and having a stud and friction-roller tak ing into the groove of said cam-disk, giving the saidr arm vibratory motion. The upper end carries a horizontal bar, D3, connected to it for adjustment longitudinally, and riding at the other end on the top of the head C2. This end isv provided with an inclined plane, D4, which works under the projection of an a'djustable collar, D5, on the upper end of the presser-bar, so as to raise it, to admit of turningv the cloth when sewing on curved orangular lines.

The time of raising the presser relatively to the other'movements may be varied by engaging the stud-pin of the Said lever higher or lower in the cam-groove, for which the stud may be made adjust-able; but it is necessary that the cloth be turned while the nee die is down, to prevent sliding the cloth laterally; The connection of the arm D3 with the lever DE, and" the collarD5 with the presser-bar, being adjustable, aiiord ample means torvarying the movements of the presser as to the' time of remaining up and the height of raising, the bar regulating the time and the collar the height. v

rThe connection of this lever D1 with its stud D2 is such that, when the feed is to be in straight lines, and itis not necessary to raisel the presser, it may be slipped outwardly on the said stud to throw the studi and friction-roller out of the groove in the cam-wl'ieel, and thereby throw the bar D3 out of action 4with the presser-post.

We propose to apply' this attachment to all machines, whether having a`r rotary or reciprocatingv feed.- j

kBy this arrangementy we utilize' the needlecam for raising the presser, and save the eX- pense of providing other cams for the purpose,

; atively to the joint of the take-up arm on the needle-arm' that when the latter is going down, and the stud H3 is moving. from' Hm to'H, the free end willl be thrownV down faster than the i needle-arm moves, so that the thread will be slack while it is being drawn into the cloth 1 from H9 to H'l.

asin other machines; but other cams may be provided for it ou the` driving-shaft, or the shuttle cam of some machines may be employed in the same way.

For' swinging the presser around on its vertical axis to adjust it relatively to' the needl'e, or to'th'e line of movement of the seam or the cloth', or for swinging it out ofthe way for the application of hemmers or other devices, we arrange a block, E, of rectangular or other suitable form to prevent turning, insuitable vertical guides inl the head 02, to. riseand fall with the presser-bar, which passes through it, the two being permanently connected when the presser is adjusted to the required position by the set-screw E, which, being loosened, admits of turning the presser-bar as re quired. This screw El is also made use of as the pivot for the lifting-cam dog E2, by which the presser is lifted out of action for adjusting the cloth. The'lower or cam-shaped end of the said dog rests on a projection, E3, of the head G2.

We propose to attach hemmers or other implements of like character used without the presser to the bent arm or connection of the presser with the presser-bar, or to the bar itself, to be brought into the proper relative position with the needle for operation by the act of turning the presser away from the needle, as above described.

For the purpose of preventing the thread from winding one part over the other, as is the ease when only one disk is used, we propose to use two disks, F F1, and to wind the thread over one and under the other, crossing it between them, as clearly represented in Fig. 1, whereby it is found to work much better in this respect than when only one tension-pnl.- ley is used. These tension-disks are placed on the needle-bar support, one iu advance of the other, and immediately below the receiving side ofthe one FL We place on the needlearm a guide-eye, F2, which, going down at the same time that the needle is forced through the cloth and the thread is relieved of the tension by the dropping of the take-up, will draw the thread froml the spool,

so that the tension of the thread will not in i `any case be affected by the frictional resistance of the spool, which various considerably.

This varrangement is applicable for use with any tension device'.

H is the take-up arm. It is pivoted to thc needle-arm at H, and provided with an arm, H2, rising above the said pivot-point and carrying a studfpin, H, which works in a curved slot in the plate H4,`attachcd to the fixed arm C. The free end ot the take-up arm projects through the head- (l2, and has an eye, through which the thread passes after passing through l another guide, H5, below, and before it passes down through another guide, H6, on the needle-baTr support to the needle. Before going to the eye H5 it passes through the ii'xed guide H7 at the top ofthe head G3.

Theslot H8 in the plate is so arranged rel` The take-up remains stationary, or nearly so, preserving the slack condition ofthe thread, so that the shuttle, which is so timed in its actionas to enter theloop .ias soon as the needle hasraised suiiciently to form it, passes through, or nearly so, during the time the stud-pin is rising from H11 to H9.

' From H9 to H10 the slot inclines to rearward so abruptly as to throw the tensiolrarm up, drawing on the upper thread simultaneously with the tension on the lower thread, which begins as soon as the shuttle passes through the loop.

At the arrival ot' the stud-pin at the point H1 the tension on the shuttle-thread ceases, and here the slot changes in its direction and is inclined forward, so that dnrin g the continuance ofthe upward movement of the needlearm the tension on the upper thread is slacked oft' to prevent drawing on the under thread, which is loose during this time. I

In consequence of this latter forward inclination of the slot the tension on the thread would be increased during the tirst part of the downward movement from the top of the slot to H10, which it is desirable should not be the case, kand to prevent it we have arranged the guide H5 to raise and slack the thread during this time. The said guide is supported on and `projects at right angles from an arm, I, pivoted at I1 to the head C3, and having a spring, 12, under it to raise the free end when not pressed down by a wiper,

I3. on the end of a shaft, I4, journaled at each' end in the xed needle armsupport C2 C3, and having a long arm, l5, ruiming down through the table, and bearing against a cam, I5, acting upon it to hold the shaft I4 and wiper I3 to force the guide down during the time the stud-pin rises from H1 to H111, and to let it rise at the time the -stud-pin is passing fram the point H11 to the top ot' the slot and back again. This latter movement compensates for the rising of the take-up arm, and thereby prevents the drawing of the upper thread while the lower one is slack. This guide H5 may be located in any part of the machine and operated in' any suitablev way.

The slotted plaie may be arranged with the slot projecting downward, with like results, the arm H2 also projecting downward, or the plate may be on the head C2, and the take-up may be connected to the needle-post. 4

The head G2 is connected to the fixed arm G3 by the screwsV K K1, passing through the part O3 and screwing into the other. This head is sometimes required to be adjusted in this connection to throw the needle forward or backward, and for this purpose we "have provided the screw K2, arranged to screw through the part C3 and against the part C2, so that by screwing it against O2, the other screws being properly unscrewed, the needle will be thrown forward, while by withdrawing it and. tightening up the others it may be adjusted the other way.

For attaching the needle to the needle-bar, we make a V or other angular groove in one side of it, fitting one side ofthe needle-shank thereto, and clamp it into the groove by the main shaft.

collar L and set-screw L', as shown in Fig. 1. Theend ot' the needle-bar has also an axial hole at right angles to path ot'set-screw, so that when the shank of the needle is placed in the said hole, as is preferred, for making loop or chain stitch, then the needle is held by the end ofthe set-screw coming against it. The needle is represented as connected in this way in Fig. 2.

M represents a ruftler attachment, consisting of a curved bar, attached to the presserbar by a set-screwin a detachable way, and suit ably shaped to rest under the frontend or toe of the presser, so that the force of the latter in pressing the cloth on the feed-shoe will be expended on the cloth in front of the needle, or on the side from which the cloth is fed, whereby, when two strips of cloth are being fed to the machine, and the upper one is held by the operator, and not permitted to move as fast as the lower one, the latter will be ruiied under the other in advance of the needle.

N is a bobbin-winding spindle, arranged on the table at the rear and parallel with the It is provided with a pulley, N1, for operation by a belt working over a corresponding pulley on the main shaft. The said winding-spindle is provided with a wormwheel, N2, working into another, N3, at right angles thereto, to which a guide-rod, N, is connected by a pin, so as to be moved back and forth for laying the thread regularly on the shuttle-bobbin held between the spindle N and center N5. This wheel N3 is mounted on a vibrating support. O, held in gear by a spring', O, and is made elliptical in form, to have two quick and two slow movements during one revolution, and the rod is so connected to it that, during that part otl the revolution when the connection is passing the centers, where the reciprocating movement would be slower' if the wheel were round, the said movement will have the same speed as at other parts thereof.

For tightening the treadle-shaft down in its bearings as it wears and becomes loose, we have provided, in suitable grooves in the frame leading to the said bearings, sliding caps P, held in the said grooves by set-screws Q passing through slot-s in the said caps, and tightening theln in the position to which they may be adjusted for taking up the slack of the journals ot' the said treadle-shaft;

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination ot the cams A1 and A2, the feed-bar A4, vibrating bar A10, slotted connecting-bar A1', connecting-screw A12, adjusting-screw A15, and springs A, all substantially as specied. v

2. `The combination,l with the shuttle and shuttle-carrier, of the `hinged plate B5 and spring, substantially as speciiied.

3. The combination, with a take-up arm, op-

Hi, and slotted plate H47 when said parts are @rating as described, of the thread-guide H5, The above 4specification of our invention arranged for operation substantially as speeisigned by ns this 6th day of November, 1869. fied. RALPH LAWYER. 4. The combination, with the needle-arm, of' JOHN C. GASTEN. The pivote'd take-11p arm H, arm H2, stud-pin Witnesses: 1

GEO. W. MABEE,

constructed and arranged as set forth. ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

